Page 9 of One Hot Summer

Our eyes meet once more, a world of regret and longing passing between us. “We should clean this up,” I mutter, gesturing to the spilled coffee and broken cup.

Carson nods, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Yeah, we should.” But we both know he's not just talking about the mess on the floor.

As he turns to fetch a mop, I can't help but wonder how we're going to make it through the next six weeks without combusting from the heat building between us. One thing's for certain – this is going to be the longest month and a half of my life.

“Listen, I’m going to see Mandy. I might not be back until late. Is that okay?”

He immediately stops and stares at me. “You are an adult, Kelsie. Did you expect to have a curfew while staying here?”

I laugh. “No, but didn’t know if that would be a problem with Collin. He has a bedtime and I don’t want to be the one to wake him up.”

“He’ll be fine. I’ll stay up and wait on you. Just shoot me a text if you end up staying. I know how you girls are.”

And he’s right. He knows Mandy almost as well as I do. We all went to school together.

“You can head out. I’ll get the rest of this cleaned up. Have fun.”

I nod, grateful for the escape, and quickly head out the door. The crisp morning air hits my face, a welcome relief from the stifling tension. As I walk down the gravel driveway, Carson's eyes are on me from the kitchen window.

There is no way I can stay here today and not even up with his lips on mine. So some distance will do us both some good.We didn’t even make it twenty-four hours. That’s got to be a record somewhere.

The drive to Mandy's is a blur of winding country roads. And then it starts to pour.You got to be kidding me!

My mind keeps replaying that moment in the kitchen, the heat of Carson's body, the intensity in his eyes. By the time I pull up to Mandy's, my hands are shaking.

I hurry up the steps to her apartment. I hesitate at the door, my finger hovering over the buzzer, before finally pressing it. The soft chime echoes through the hallway.

The door swings open, and she stands there, her blonde curls bouncing as she pulls me into a tight embrace. I melt into her hug, feeling the tension in my shoulders dissipate. As we part, I catch a glimpse of concern in Mandy's bright blue eyes. She can read me like an open book.

“Come on in!” She ushers me inside, her hand gentle on my back as she guides me to the living room. I sank into the plush cushions of Mandy's floral-patterned couch, my fingers tracing the intricate embroidery. Mandy disappears into the kitchen, the clink of mugs and the whistle of a kettle providing a soothing soundtrack to my tumultuous thoughts.

“Here,” Mandy says, returning with two steaming mugs. “This'll warm you up.”

I wrap my hands around the mug, inhaling deeply. “I don't know what I'd do without you.”

Mandy settles beside me, tucking her feet underneath her. “That's what best friends are for, silly. Now, what's going on in that beautiful head of yours?”

I stare into the swirling depths of my tea, searching for the right words. How can I explain the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm me?

“I… I feel like I'm drowning. Like I'm being pulled in a thousand different directions, and I don't know which way is up anymore.”

Mandy's eyes soften. “Oh, honey. Is this about the fire? Or…”

I nod, unable to meet her gaze. “Partly. It's just... everything's changing so fast. I came here to escape, to heal, but now…” I trail off, the words stuck in my throat.

“Now what?” Mandy prompts, her thumb tracing soothing circles on the back of my hand.

I close my eyes, feeling the weight of unshed tears. “Now I'm seeing the life that I could’ve had with him.”

“You mean with Carson?”

I sigh. “I... never got over him. And it terrifies me.”

Mandy laughs. “Carson? The ruggedly handsome cowboy that just so happens to be your brother’s best friend. The one that you lost your virginity too and we had way too much late night sleepovers planning your wedding. You mean that Carson?”

I nod, feeling a blush creep up my neck. “Every time he's near, it's like... like there's this invisible force pulling me towards him again. His smile, his laugh, the way he looks at me with those blue eyes... it makes me forget how to breathe.”

“Oh, Kelsie.”

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